


The Pigtails are Off

by para_dox_normal



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrienette is not endgame, Akuma Class - Freeform, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Confused Alya Césaire, Evil Lila Rossi, F/F, F/M, HBIC Marinette Dupain-Cheng, ITS ONLY TAGGED AS A RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE OF CHAPTER 2, Jealous Lila Rossi, Lila Rossi Bashing, Lila Rossi Being a Jerk, Lila Rossi Faces Consequences, Lila Rossi Lies, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, M/M, Marinette Dupain-Cheng HBIC, Maybe some Lukanette, Minor Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Miraculous Ladybug Salt, No Lila Rossi Redemption, Salt, Scared Class, Strong Marinette Dupain-Cheng, TPaO, The Pigtails are Off, class salt, ml salt, mlb salt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:22:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25063828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/para_dox_normal/pseuds/para_dox_normal
Summary: "You just reawakened the queen. The pigtails are off, and shit's about to hit the fan."the series on tumblr
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug - Past/One-Sided, Marc Anciel/Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 82
Kudos: 1217
Collections: the power of love always so strong





	1. The Pigtails are Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"If you keep this up, I don't think we can be friends"  
>  "You're sure? Will you stand by that statement?"  
> "Uh, yes,"  
> "Everyone else agree? Raise your hand if you agree with her statement."  
> "I guess everyone who raised their hands are now my enemy." _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My version of unmaskedagain ‘s HBIC Marinette AU on Tumblr. Also, as a disclaimer, I wrote the first chapter just for fun. I had no plans. But everyone on Tumblr loved it, so I wrote more. Therefore, I had no plans. Forgive me for the plot ;-;

"If you keep this up, I don't think we can be friends!" Alya snapped at Marinette.

Even after Lila told the reporter about Marinette's mean messages, underhand comments, and refusal to hang out with the group if Lila was there, Alya had still held hope for her pigtailed friend. But threatening Lila was the last straw.

Marinette looked up at her and asked, "You're sure? Will you stand by that statement?" In the coldest voice Alya had ever heard the noirette use.

"Uh, yes," Alya said, her voice slightly unsure.

"Everyone else agree? Raise your hand if you agree with her statement." Marinette said as she stood from her seat to get a better look at the class.

Everyone except for Chloe, Sabrina, Nino, Juleka(who held Rose's hand down to keep her from raising it), and Nathaniel held their hands up. Lila didn't at first, but Alya gave her a reassuring look and Lila made a show of raising her hand slowly and timidly.

Even Adrien held up his hand, looking at Marinette with a pleading look, trying to telepathically tell her to stand down, don't rock the boat or something.

"I guess everyone who raised their hands are now my enemy."

The class looked at Marinette in confusion. Nino looked terrified, and pulled his hat down over his face. Juleka held Rose a bit tighter, who just looked confused. Nathaniel was in Nino's boat, and he tried to hide in his hair. Chloe looked sorry for the rest of the class, with Sabrina mimicking her expression. The rest just looked baffled.

Marinette pulled her hair ties out of her hair, and dropped one in Chloe's palm, which was already held out, and another in Nino's. The two put the red hair ties on their wrists. Marinette pulled four more out to give to Nathaniel, Sabrina, Juleka, and Rose. They did the same as the first two. (Juleka had to give Rose a pleading look that promised to explain later.)

It was like a ritual, and Alya was about to question it when Marinette walked up to her.

The thing was, Marinette was doing all of this with a confidence and leisure that Alya had never, ever, seen from the short designer. Marinette seemed to stand taller, and her presence filled the room.

She took a long look at Alya, and said calmly, "I guess we're not friends anymore then."

She strode out the room, her freed hair flowing behind her in soft waves still left over from her pigtails.

"Well, it's about to get real now." Chloe remarked, crossing her arms. "You just had to go and do it, didn't you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alya spat at the heiress.

“Don’t be fooled by the pink,” Chloe told the reporter. “She is not playing dolls. She is stalking the halls; living off the thrill of the kill. Marinette can smell fear.”

“What-”

"You just reawakened the queen. The pigtails are off, and shit's about to hit the fan." She smirked. "I for one am excited to see her prowling the halls again. Those days were exciting."

She then flipped her hair and strutted out of the room, Sabrina scrambling to follow. Juleka dragged Rose out to follow, probably to explain, and Nathaniel practically fled the room. Nathaniel was most definitely going to go talk to Marc.

Nino was about to run to go warn the rest of the school, but Alya grabbed his arm.

"What was that??"

Nino gulped. "Ican'ttalktoyounowsorrybye!"

He ran out of the room in a state of disrepair, wringing the hairband on his wrist. After about a minute, the class faintly heard shouts. Of happiness or fear, they didn't know.

Lila was smirking. Marinette was probably going to move schools or something. Nino might be a problem though. For the last few months, ever since Lila tried to frame Marinette (Which failed horribly; Lila was just sent out of the principal's office and five minutes later Marinette walked out scotch-free.)

Anyway, Nino had been slowly distancing from Alya and the rest of their friend group, though Alya, Adrien, and Lila didn't know why. They had plans to confront him soon, but it seemed that their suspicions were correct if what just happened was anything to go by.

Lila suspected him of knowing the truth, and had her own, ahem, separate plans of talking to the DJ.

Now Lila could only smile. Nino was too much of a wimp to do anything. Same with Nathaniel and Juleka, who would pacify Rose out of fear. Marinette was probably running away. Lila had won.

If only she knew how wrong she really was...


	2. Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"If they’re such tyrants, why not take the throne?”_
> 
> _“What do you mean, Chloe?” Marinette asked, tilting her head._
> 
> _“If they abuse the crown, then let’s just take it.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Backstory time!

_“Such a doormat,” She said, snickering at Marinette._

_Marinette held the broken project in her small hands, and glared at the rest of her group of four. They had made her do all the work, then they broke the object that she had made right after the presentation. They had known that she wanted to keep it. They had known that she was proud of her first little scarf._

_And yet…_

_“They’re just such jerks!”_

_“Like tyrants!”_

_“Ughhhh!”_

_Marinette ranted to Chloe, her unlikely friend._

_They had met the year before; Marinette had seen a bunch of the mean kids surrounding Chloe, and had pulled the blonde away, scared for her well-being. Turns out that they had been pestering Chloe for special things since she was the daughter of Andre Bourgeois, the owner of the famous hotel and the man who claimed to be planning to run for mayor in a few years._

_Chloe explained this to Marinette, and Marinette called the other kids gold-diggers, and told Chloe that they could be friends instead._

_Anyway, back to Marinette ranting._

_“If they’re such tyrants, why not take the throne?”_

_“What do you mean, Chloe?” Marinette asked, tilting her head._

_“If they abuse the crown, then let’s just take it.”_

_-_

_Marinette and Chloe (and Sabrina) stood outside of their new school._

_Françoise Dupont._

_It was a part of a wide system of schools, known as the Dupont District, all nearby each other. It was a bit unorthodox, but the Dupont District was treated as a prototype to see if other places should follow in its footsteps, making it the first of its type of schooling. It would often do little exchanges with the other schools in it’s system, as all of them were connected. Students in the Dupont District often were close friends with students in the other schools, making it heaven for sociable people, and hell for loners._

_Françoise Dupont specifically, was a high school and a middle school rolled into one, with the two connecting buildings separating the two._

_It would do nicely for Marinette’s kingdom._

_-_

_None of the students at Françoise Dupont knew exactly why Marinette, one of the two Red Queens, would play nice whenever students from the other schools in the district came to visit, or did an exchange. Or vice versa, when her class would be chosen for a mini exchange to some other school._

_Only Marinette, Chloe, and Sabrina knew why. It was because they weren’t tyrants._

_They would respect other kingdoms._

_(Sure, they punished some people, but only ones who deserved it.)_

_-_

_Marinette opened the box, and out popped a red bug-looking thing._

_“Huh.”_

_Her eyes widened, and Marinette immediately grasped the small creature in her hands to keep it from escaping._

_“What the hell is this…”_

_“Hi Mariette! My name’s Tikki! And I am your kwami.”_

_-_

**One year later…**

Marinette sighed. Acting nice as Ladybug was tiring. During this past summer she had asked Tikki if she, the ruler of the school, the feared and powerful Marinette, was really suited to be some goody-goody superhero. Tikki had told her that no one was black or white, and Marinette was in more of a moral grey. Sure, Marinette may be infamous at her school, but that didn’t necessarily mean she was a bad person… She was just more of a… chaotic good then a Lawful Good, as Chloe had put it after Marinette asked the blond if Marinette was a bad person.

Anyway, it was a new year, and this year a new class would be permanently transferred here from some other school in the Dupont, due to overcrowding. Since it was a few people short, Marinette and a few others were being pushed into the class. (Chloe, Sabrina, Nathaniel, Juleka, and Nino.) 

Marinette knew these people. As the nice-Marinette, that is. She was kind of friends with them, which was strange to think.

This gave her an idea…

-

Marinette didn’t have to fake her blush as Adrien handed her his umbrella.

All the gum was supposed to be was a prank from Chloe, as she knew that Marinette had extra backups of clothing, and that Marinette had some crazy-good cleaning solution at home. It would also do well to sell their “Chloe-is-a-bully” thing.

But Adrien had messed it up. 

Marinette walked in to see him on his knees, trying to pick it up, and her anger had gotten the better of her.

It was literally the first day of her being a goody-goody again. And somehow, some-fucking-how, she was already being treated like a doormat!  
Luckily Tikki’s little tap at Marinette from her bag was enough to remind Marinette not to get too mad, and she had resolved it best she could.

And now here Adrien was, handing her an umbrella with the most sincere expression on his face. Marinette had almost lost faith in the fact that good people, not Chaotic-Goods like her, but real good people actually existed. (Except for Chat Noir, but that could really just be an act. It was harder to read people when they were wearing a literal mask.)

Marinette also didn’t have to fake the umbrella closing on her. Or her stuttering. (Only that first time though, she had to fake it after that to let the other students view her as harmless.)

Her laugh bubbled up from within her, and it felt good. So good.

-

But then Lila happened.

Mainette’s friends thought that she would lie about the new student just because she was jealous.

Marinette managed to not yell at Lila as Ladybug, though she did still tell Lila off, but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t pissed. At the fox for manipulating her friends, and for stealing Adrien’s book and trying to manipulate her him with it.

That was the first crack.

-

Then Lila came back

Marinette’s “friends” doubted who they thought was a kindhearted doormat. A girl who would stutter just talking to her crush. The girl who would help them with the snap of a finger. The girl who was always there was such a jealous brat that she would lie about Lila and who would push said Lila down the stairs. They all knew that she had helped Adrien ask out Kagami on a date. And had suffered through it, and not tried to disrupt it once, but they thought that she would push some girl down the stairs because she was jealous. 

Alya had said that it had to have been a misunderstanding, but the noirette could see the doubt in her “best friend’s” eyes. In all of her classmate’s eyes.

She had just begun to consider them real friends too.

Not even mentioning Lila’s threat, or that she was moved to the back without a word. 

That was the second crack.

-

The final straw was when Alya renounced their friendship in front of the whole class, and when most of them agreed with her.

Screw that “nice-Marinette.”

The Red Queen was coming back.


	3. Carmines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The Italian finally arrived at the school, and as soon as she walked in she noticed something off. Everyone was wearing a red hair tie around their wrists._
> 
> _She heard whispers among the students, most directed at her. She assumed they were gossiping about Mari-brat “finally showing her true colors” or something._
> 
> _She wasn’t entirely off._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for some explaining and some Confused Akuma Class ™…

As Alya walked through the halls the next day, she noticed something… Off. Everyone was wearing red hair ties on their wrists. Except for Chloe, Sabrina, Nino, Juleka, Rose, and Nathaniel, the only ones who weren’t wearing the ties was the infamous “akuma class.” 

It was unnerving, to say the least. Alya saw Nino stalling outside of the classroom, looking unsure, and she took that opportunity to pull him aside to talk.

“What happened yesterday? And why is everyone wearing hair ties??” She questioned him.

Nino started fiddling with his hair tie again, and glanced around the halls. After checking, he pulled the ladyblogger into a Janitor’s closet. He motioned for her to stay quiet and started his explanation.

“Marinette has been ruling the school for years, and everyone was scared of her. The sign of being an enemy is,” Gulp. “Not having a hair tie, or a carmine. That’s what we call them. Having one means you’re safe. Having one from her own hair? It hasn’t really happened before… But that’s only part of why I’m scared. Before she decided to mingle with the ‘peasants,’ she only wore the ties around her wrists. Not her freaking hair.” His voice broke there, and Alya wondered how bad Marinette (supposedly) was for him to be this freaked out. “You knew what to do to be safe. But nowadays she’s become unpredictable. And you guys all have enormous targets on your backs.

“I’d love to stay with you, but I think I have to stay away for my own safety. I’m sorry,” He finished rambling. He then pulled open the door, glanced around, and sped off.

Alya was left in shock.

-

Lila was having a great morning.

She had woken up feeling rested and triumphant from finally breaking Mari-brat. It had been glorious seeing the noirette barely containing herself! 

Anyway, Lila had gotten up and gone through her morning routine, humming some villain song about winning. The villain songs were always so much catchier than the “good guy” songs.

The Italian finally arrived at the school, and as soon as she walked in she noticed something off. Everyone was wearing a red hair tie around their wrists. 

She heard whispers among the students, most directed at her. She assumed they were gossiping about Mari-brat “finally showing her true colors” or something.

She wasn’t entirely off.

Anyway, Lila made it to the classroom and saw that everyone except for Marinette, Nino, Chloe, and Sabrina were there.

Eh, she thought, Mari-brat probably just spread her always-late disease to the other few riff-raff.

-

Marinette had told Sabrina to send a message to a few select people while reconnecting with her old look with Chloe.

First up was Nino.

Sabrina was to tell him that he was one of her most trusted “advisors” now, and that he was pretty much free of any danger as long as he didn’t do anything stupid.

Juleka was going to be told that she and Rose were safe, and was also going to be given a piece of paper to give to her brother.

Last but not least was Nathaniel, but all he was going to be told was to bring Marc to their classroom in the morning.

Everyone got their message and executed their orders.

-

Juleka had been approached by Sabrina just as she was leaving the Liberty to go to school.

The note was delivered, and she and Rose met up.

The day before, Juleka had explained the Carmines to the blonde, and had also given her all the dos-and-don’ts that Juleka knew of. So they were about as prepared as they could be. Hearing Sabrina say they were safe as a message from Marinette herself was a god-send.

Anyway, Juleka sat with Rose and watched as the events played out.

The class had gone in as normal, but a few had interesting interactions. Alya had come in looking slightly confused and very sad. She plopped down into her seat, and placed her head on her desk.

Juleka assumed that she had talked to Nino.

Nathaniel came in next, with Marc for some reason. He looked worried and Marc’s expression mirrored the artist’s.

They stood near the wall, too unsure to sit.

Lila strut into the room with a happily triumphant expression. Clearly she thought she had won, Juleka realized. Oh how wrong she was going to be proven today.

Nino was next, and while he looked slightly sad, he also looked immensely relieved, almost as if he had won the lottery as the loan-collectors were at the door.

He sat down in one of the seats closer to the back.

The first of the last three to come in was Sabrina, the messenger. She walked into the room with her hair in a ponytail, and a new pair of glasses that looked pretty much like her other pair, except that these were purple and red.

“Welcome the Red Queens!” she announced.

Marinette and Chloe arrived arm-in-arm, to everyone, even Juleka’s, surprise.

“Is this normal?” Rose whispered to her girlfriend.

“Yes, but I-I didn’t expect them to be b-back at full-force so quickly…”

Chloe’s outfit consisted of a silky black dress and a yellow leather jacket with a black sequined purse (with a fluffy pom-pom on attached to it through key-chain.). She also wore black tights and brown boots. Her hair was up in a ponytail, as usual, but this ponytail had two braids on either side of her head leading to her normal bee comb which held it there. Parts of her hair were left out to frame her face. On top of her head sat her normal sunglasses.

Marinette was wearing a deep purple shirt that had no sleeves and a high collar, along with her nice-Marinette jacket she used to wear on her shoulders. Her skirt was a dark black, and it had a white trim on the bottom. In between the two was a white belt. Her high-heeled boots reached a few inches past her ankles, with the boots being black, and the heeled parts of them being red, paired with white socks that faded into purple at the bottom. Next was her hair, which was flowing in perfect black waves, but it also had a ponytail tied with a red carmine. It shined blue in the light, as per the usual, though it was quite a bit longer, probably extensions until her hair grew back to it’s old length. Last but certainly not least were the carmines along her arms. Juleka wasn’t sure how many were there, but there were at least six on each arm. 

Arm in arm, they walked up to the back and sat in the seat next to the window. The entire class was staring, but after a pointed glare from both Chloe and Marinette, they wisely whipped their heads away. Sabrina sat in the seat across from the Red Queens.

All as it used to be.

-

Before Sabrina sat, she pulled over Nathaniel and Marc. 

“You two.” Marinette stated, staring at the boys.

They gulped.

“Here, Marc.” 

The comic duo froze in shock as Marinette pulled the carmine out of her hair and put it on Marc’s wrist. 

She leaned in and whispered in the writer’s ear.

“Good luck with him.” She pulled back and continued, not paying any mind to Marc’s red face. “You two make good comics, and I’m still flattered that you dedicated the first issue to me.” Her eyes were remnant of the nice-Marinette, but her body-language was relaxed, like nothing could harm her on her throne.

“You may go.”

Marc gave Nathaniel a quick and shy hug, and hurried out of the class. Marinette stared at the redhead’s,well, red face. “You two are safe. Just don’t do anything stupid.”

Nathaniel looked relieved, and rushed into a seat.

-

Alix was having a weird day.

Okay, so maybe the whole thing the day before had been a bit mean, almost the whole class just “un-friending” Marinette at once. But hey, Marinette was being a bit of a bitch, threatening Lila out of what, jealousy?

But Alix was coming to learn that something was off.

Marinette came into class looking and acting like a queen. Usually, her entrances were wild scrambles to get to her seat in time. And Nathaniel refused to talk to Alix too. It was nagging at her.

So naturally, Alix cornered her tomato-top friend after school.

“You’re not leaving until you tell me what the hell is going on!” Alix told Nathaniel as she blocked the door to the locker room.

“I can just go out the other door-”

“Do you want me to get out the umbrella?”

“…Fine. I don’t know how you fight so well with one of those. I think Marinette would forgive me on this one.” Nathaniel sighed. “Marinette is.. How do I put this?” 

Alix tapped her foot impatiently. She had been waiting all day for answers, and Nathaniel was taking his sweet time!  
“The best I can give you is this: Marinette is in charge. Treat her like she could ruin your life with two words. Do anything, and I mean anything to get a carmine.” Nathaniel looked down at the hairband, and Alix connected the dots. “Not having a carmine is like having a giant target on your back. Marinette knows everyone. She knows everyone from Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale to the friggin Avengers. And that’s not even mentioning a tenth of all the connections she has. The first two were just made this year!” 

Alix knew about Marinette knowing Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale, but the Avengers? And more? Did she really know Mari that little?

“So I can’t talk to you. I might be safe for now, but I don’t know how long or how much it covers.” The words seemed to spill out of him, sloshing around in Alix’s brain while she tried to absorb all of this information. “And please don’t wear a fake carmine. She remembers every student who has and who doesn’t have one, so if you’re caught with a fake one…” He shuddered.

Nathaniel hurried out of the room as fast as he could go, while Alix stood in her place, stunned. 

-

Lila had had a good morning. But the rest of the day was just… strange.

The students were all too shaken up by Marinette to really pay attention to her stories, even Alya seemed to be in a trance all day! So since the sheep were out of the pen, Lila decided to come up with a plan to mess up Marinette. Clearly she thought that this act would “scare” Lila. Not gonna happen.

Lila was going to come back with a scheme that would end Marinette’s time at Françoise Dupont. Once and for all this time.


	4. The three times Luka met Marinette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _When Luka Couffine first met Marinette, it was years before he met her._
> 
> _…_
> 
> _For good measure, Marinette slipped a carmine onto his wrist. Just in case._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, you may be wondering: How did everyone get their carmines?  
> All of the students found carmines and a note on their front steps the day Marinette reached the end of her rope. It can be assumed that Marinette used her connections to get a carmine to everyone. Except Marc because she wanted to give his carmine to him with Nathaniel at school/in person.  
> Also about that, The Confrontation (As I’m calling it) happens at lunch. Marinette left and didn’t come back for the rest of the day.  
> Hope that cleared any confusions up! Sorry for the long notes section.

When Luka Couffine first met Marinette, it was years before he met her. 

Let me explain.

It was about two years ago, when he was fifteen. He was trying to get into the  Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie when he bumped into a girl.

She had long black hair that flowed down her back in waves. It shone with blue highlights that the sun cast, and she wore a jean jacket and a black pleated skirt with pink edges. Her boots were a dark brown, and she also had a pair of pink hoop earrings. Last was her tank top, which was white with a black Jagged Stone design.

Anyway, she was walking out of the bakery with something white folded in her arms. She seemed to be glaring at the item annoyedly when Luka opened the door and promptly walked into her.

She fell backwards, onto her butt, gripping the fabric of her item tightly. Luka fell backwards as well, and he just managed to save the guitar that had previously been on his back. Luka looked up at who he had crashed into, and the first thing he noticed was the tank top. 

“Sorry… wait, you like Jagged Stone?” Luka said dumbly.

“Ugh.. yeah, I do. What’s it to you?” The girl replied, getting up off the ground. Her voice wasn’t annoyed, just apprehensive. Luka could hear her song stutter, as if she wasn’t used to people asking things like that to her.

“I love Jagged Stone! I wanted to ask where you got that shirt?” Luka asked, finally getting up and slinging his guitar back over his shoulder.

“...I made it. The design is official but It always was too small or the fabric was too rough in official merch.” The girl told him.

“Oh. I asked so I could get one of my own. I agree with what you said about official merch. Jagged really needs to get a better provider or something.” Luka agreed, moving off to the side inside the bakery with her.

“Well, I have a t-shirt that’s pretty much the same that I could give you,” The girl offered, holding out the item that Luka now knew was a shirt. “I originally made it for myself, but I misjudged the measurements and made it too big.”

“That’d be awesome!” Luka said, taking the surprisingly soft t-shirt and holding it up to himself. “How much do I owe you?”

“You want to pay me?” She asked, raising her eyebrows. “It’s a leftover, it’s fine.”

“No, you made it and now you’re just giving it to someone you’ve never met. I’m paying you.” Luka pulled twenty dollars out of his pocket and put it into the girl’s hand. 

“It’s honestly fine,” She started, but a ring from her phone cut her off. She glanced at it, and her eyes went wide. “I have to go!” She turned and rushed out the door, not even remembering her resistance to getting paid for her work. 

Luka watched her rush off with a small smile, and walked up to the counter to buy something for him and Juleka. Picture day was today, and she probably just got home. Best to stock up on treats.

-

The second time Luka met her was around a year ago, when he was seventeen and she was sixteen.

This time he had heard of her from Juleka before the second meet. He had been all ready and stocked up for a comfort session because it was picture day for Juleka. But when she got back, she was all smiles. Luka listened to her speak about a girl named Marinette like she was a god on earth. But Juleka also seemed nervous. Like she wasn’t sure if she was doing something wrong or not. But that was just Luka’s guess.

Anyway, Luka was just happy that Juleka finally had a good picture day. Luka was immensely grateful for this Marinette, he would have to make sure to thank her when he met her.

A few weeks later Marinette was walking dejectedly towards the room that she was told Luka would be in. As soon as she was out of sight of the others she straightened her slouched back and wiped the sadness off of her face.

She knew she should be a bit more careful, but it was annoying to act like her life revolved around a guy. It painted her as endearing and not a threat, so it was “worth” it. Some days she got tired of it though. In reality, Marinette only had a small crush on the boy. She liked his kind personality, but it wasn’t anything as extreme as she played it up to be.

Anyway, Marinette walked towards the doorway to what she assumed was Juleka and Luka’s room. She walked in to see a boy with deep black hair that was dyed teal at the edges. He wore a slightly worn Jagged Stone shirt that looked familiar to Marinette. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be meditating. She shook her head and looked at him calculatingly. This must be Luka. He looked like the calm type. He definitely liked music, she could see a guitar on his bed.

His eyes opened and she immediately scrambled to look like she just got there.

“H-hey! My name’s Ma-Ma-Marinette! It-uh, your Mom sent me down here, the grove, er, um, the group’s- waiting for you.” She stuttered “nervously.”

` -

Luka studied the girl who had just come in.

As soon as she walked in the door, Luka could feel confidence and poise radiating off of someone. His eyes had been closed, but the orchestra that was this girl’s song was unignorable. He opened his eyes after a moment of listening to the carefully crafted sound that flowed out of her. For a split second after opening his eyes he saw her face. She was looking at him with the expression of a scientist, detached and serious. She seemed to be evaluating him. But after that millisecond, she scrambled and started stuttering.

“H-hey! My name’s Ma-Ma-Marinette! It-uh, your Mom sent me down here, the grove, er, um, the group’s- waiting for you.”

He studied her for a moment. This personality was miles away from what he had just seen. Her music was the same, except for a small flute sound that represented her current behavior. This was off. The way Marinette was acting… it wasn’t real. He decided to play along for now though. If her previously seen personality was anything to go by, this girl was confident in herself. Usually there was something to back that type of raw confidence up. Also, he was thankful for what she had done for his sister.

“Hi, Ma-Ma-Marinette.” He said, chuckling behind his hand.

She looked away for a moment, and by the way she stood he would assume she was sad. But her music suggested otherwise. She was angry. Deafeningly angry.

“Sorry,” He backtracked, still trying to act like he didn’t know what she was doing. Not that he did, he had no clue why she was faking her personality. “I didn’t mean to offend. I tend to make more sense with this.”

Luka reached over to his guitar and pulled it into his lap. He readied himself and patted the bed, motioning for Marinette to sit down. She compiled, and sat down with an expression of curiosity on her features. 

He started playing the melody he heard from her, although he couldn’t do it justice with just one instrument. He kept quiet, letting the music speak for himself. (He totally wasn’t afraid to say something wrong and anger the frightening girl. Not at all.)

As he played, he saw Marinette’s eyes close, and her hand came up to rest on her heart. She seemed to relax, letting a small smile creep onto her face. It was the first real reaction he had seen her give. (And purposefully let him see, that is.)

He smiled, and closed his eyes too, absorbing himself in the sound of the music.

-

After that meeting, Luka couldn’t keep Marinette off of his mind. What has she been hiding? Why was she wearing such a thick mask? His curiosity with Marinette started as just that, a curiosity. But over time and more encounters, he found himself falling for her. Not her fake stuttering and demeanor, but the snippets of her true self he saw shining through. His heart beat faster when she grew determined or confident. 

Luka knew that he was falling hard and fast, and for a girl that kept her guard up constantly. He managed to get more moments of her real personality whenever she got immersed in his music. So, he wrote more music for her. Juleka noticed, obviously, and Luka noticed her nervousness at his new crush (it totally wasn’t growing bigger then that...right?), but didn’t know what to make of it. What he didn’t notice was Juleka’s fear.

-

And now the third and last, yet somehow the first time Luka Couffine met Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

-

Juleka handed Luka the piece of paper.

“What’s this? Is this what Sabrina was here so early for?” He asked, taking the folded paper.

“N-no… Well, yes, b-but it’s from Marinette.” With that, Juleka left the room to meet with Rose, who was standing on the dock to the boat.

Luka looked at the paper in his hand. Juleka’s music had been sporadic, messy. But he could feel relief seeping in. He wondered what was up.

Any way, he unfolded the note, and read the contents.

“Meet at the Trocadéro at 4 pm. Will explain later.”

Luka’s eyebrows arched. What was this? Was something happening? Was she…? No. Luka couldn’t get his hopes up. He folded the note and slipped it in his pocket. 

Looks like he was going to the Trocadéro later that day.

Hours later, Luka sat atop a bench on the bridge in the Trocadéro. He absentmindedly strummed his guitar, letting the music echo around him as he waited.

After around five minutes of waiting, Luka heard the impressive orchestra of Marinette’s song. He turned to see her, and was shocked by her new look. He blinked, getting over his initial surprise, and smiled, patting the spot on the bench beside him.

Marinette obliged, sitting down with an unreadable expression on her face. She closed her eyes and listened to Luka playing her song. After a minute or two, she knew it was time to explain.

“I’m willing to bet you already knew I was faking.”

“Yep, you can’t hide your true self when I can see what displays who you truly are.” Luka realized what he said, and expected to be hit with a, “...what?”, but instead was met with silence. He blinked in surprise at the lack of reaction, and looked to his right to see Marinette staring at the water with a thoughtful expression painted across her face. 

“You mean because of my ‘song?’” She asked.

Her question took him off guard, but Luka quickly tried to recover. “Y-yeah, pretty much. I’m not good with words, like I said when we first met.”

She let a small laugh fall from her lips. After that though, Luka desperately tried to stop thinking about her, uhm, lips. He blinked, and she was talking again. “I’m sorry- no, I’m not really sorry. I did what I did to try and experience a bit of normal. Maybe reform myself.” She sighed, a frustrated expression on her face. “But it was hard to keep that demeanor up. Especially once Lila started feeding everyone lies about my ‘actions’ and ‘bullying.’”

“I think you should just be who you are, corny as that sounds.” Luka replied, nudging her with his shoulder. “Or if you really do want to get better, do it little by little. Don’t just jump headfirst into a new personality.” 

“Yeah, I kinda get that now,” She snarked dryly. 

“But I wouldn’t blame you for being petty right about now. I know a bit about Lila from the rest of Kitty Section, and she seems like a bitch.”

Marinette surprised him by laughing. “You hit the nail right on it’s head, she is such a snake. No wait, that would be an offense to snakes.” She smirked knowingly.

Luka and Marinette talked until it was dark and they had to go home. For good measure, Marinette slipped a carmine onto his wrist. Just in case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I planned to post this after having another part done, but I feel guilty having a part ready while having no motivation to write lately. So, take this and prepare for a long wait.

**Author's Note:**

> [the series on tumblr](https://para-dox-normal.tumblr.com/post/619423151869378560/the-pigtails-are-off-1)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Red King and Queen](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25171438) by [Mpuppy5885](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mpuppy5885/pseuds/Mpuppy5885)




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